


The Big Question

by acercrea



Series: Time for Love [2]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Career, Dinner, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-20
Updated: 2015-02-20
Packaged: 2018-03-13 21:44:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3397433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acercrea/pseuds/acercrea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thomas has made Manu a big dinner, which is very unusual. What is the occasion?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Big Question

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This is a sequel to Just Over a Week. If you haven’t read that story I recommend doing so first. So many of you have been asking me for this for so long that I hope you all like it!  
> Disclaimer: I don’t own anything associated with Manu or Thomas. This is just a story.

Being with him was always easy; he was my match in every way. Where I was quiet and reserved, he was loud and boisterous. We complimented each other.

But being public with him was never an option as long as we were active players. He hated the media attention and I didn’t want to become the poster children for something I didn’t identify as. I loved Thomas, but he was the only man I had ever had feelings for. I still found women attractive, so I wasn’t gay, but I wasn’t bisexual either. It was more like my entire sexuality revolved around one person. I sometimes joked that I was a Thomas-sexual.

Our families knew of course, but none of them said anything. They would be good about covering for us if a reporter got too close and started to ask questions like why didn’t we date anyone and why did our families celebrate holidays together. Most of our team mates knew as well, and were very supportive. Bastian had even helped us out sometimes by playing up his bromance with Poldi as a distraction.

In the 12 years since we got together we hadn’t had many heavy discussions. Whether we should move into his house or mine and what would happen to us if Thomas’ contract with Bayern wasn’t renewed a couple of years ago were pretty much it.

So when I got home and Thomas was cooking something trickier than boiled sausages I knew something was up, but I trusted him to tell me when he felt the time was right.

“That smells amazing, babe,” I praised as I came up behind him, wrapped my arms around his waist and nuzzled his neck.

“Hey, don’t distract me, I am 5 minutes away from perfection, but 30 seconds away from disaster if I don’t pay attention. Go change and set the table, this will all be ready when you get back,” Thomas ordered, pointing with a wooden spoon.

“Ok, I will let the maestro have his five minutes. But I am going to tease you mercilessly about that apron later,” I replied and with a peck on the cheek left him to his work.

By the time Thomas walked into the dining room carrying two plates loaded with Spätzale, roasted fingerling potatoes, and zucchini fritters I had convinced myself that Thomas had horrible news for me. The fact that he had made 3 of my favorite dishes meant something. We spent the meal largely in silence until Thomas cleared his throat as he set down his glass and nervously started, “So I am guessing you are wondering what the occasion is.”

“A little bit, yes,” I answered him.

“Well, I know we haven’t ever discussed this, but I was wondering what your plans are with the club,” he stammered.

“This is about Bayern?” I asked confused.

“Well, yes,” he replied.

“Um, I hadn’t really thought about it,” I answered honestly.

“You haven’t? But you are 40,” Thomas pointed out.

“And,” I prompted.

“Well, I know keepers aren’t prone to as many injuries, but we are both announcing our retirement from the National Team within a couple of weeks, and our contracts are basically up at Bayern, not that we are getting played much anymore anyway,” Thomas trailed off.

“Yeah, but you still have a few years left in you, right?” I asked him, not sure where he was going.

“That is not the point, Manu. Bayern is a very competitive club, but I don’t like sitting on the bench and watching all the younger players on the field,” he replied.

“But you are still a great player. I mean we just got back from the World Cup 3 weeks ago and I know you went in saying it was just your victory lap, but that was one hell of a victory lap. I honestly have no idea if anyone will ever break your scoring record,” I told him, taking his hand in mine.

“Yes, but it is different with the club,” Thomas insisted.

“I don’t understand, how is it different with the club? You are still useful to Bayern,” I started, but Thomas cut me off.

“God, don’t you want to start our life, Manu?” he shouted.

“What?” I asked, taken aback.

“I want to retire from Bayern. My contract is up, and I’d like to travel a little bit before I get a coaching job and I know your contract is up too. I want you to retire and come with me,” Thomas inquired.

I was so relieved to finally understand what he was talking about that I burst out laughing, which clearly caught Thomas by surprise. “I’m sorry,” I apologized to his hurt expression. “I had no idea where you were going with that, and I am so relieved that it has nothing to do with what I thought it did. Really, I’m sorry.”

“What did you think it was?” he asked grumpily.

“I thought you had received an offer from another club and were breaking up with me so you could go play somewhere else,” I confessed.

“How could you think that?” he asked.

“Well, you made 3 of my favorite dishes, you wore the happy cow apron which you only wear when you are in a bad mood or need cheering, and you start going on and on about my plans. Do you understand my confusion?” I asked him gently, caressing his cheek gently.

“And here I thought I was being subtle. It is a good thing you didn’t see the homemade cherry crumble yet. You might have thought I was dying,” Thomas joked.

“You made crumble?” I asked in awe.

“With homemade ice cream,” he confirmed.

“I love that you think that there is anything subtle about homemade crumble and ice cream,” I joked, leaning in and kissing his lips softly, feeding my relief into him, trying to calm his nerves.

He pulled away after a minute with a contented sigh and rested his forehead on mine. “So is that a yes? You will retire with me?” Thomas asked.

“About that,” I hesitated, building up my courage.

“You don’t want to,” Thomas interrupted me, practically deflating in front of me.

“That is not it. I do want to retire with you, more than anything. But I want to do more than just travel with you. I want to be able to kiss you in public, hold hands in front of people, do all that cliché couple stuff that most people take for granted. We can’t do that right now,” I pointed out.

“You want to come out?” he asked.

“Not exactly. You know that I have never had feelings for any man other than you, which is part of the reason we have kept quiet so long. I don’t consider myself gay because I am still attracted to women. My sexuality has always been a little confusing to me, but there is one thing these last 12 years that I have been 100% sure of and that is you. I don’t just want to go public,” I trailed off, the words I wanted to say getting jumbled in my head.

“What do you want to do, Manu?” Thomas asked.

“I have been waiting for this moment for so many years, and now I am not doing it right,” I spoke in frustration.

“What moment, Manu?” Thomas questioned.

“Wait here for one minute,” I answered and ran upstairs quickly. After rummaging around in the bottom of my sock drawer I found what I had been looking for and ran back downstairs with it.

“This moment,” I stated placed the box on the table in front of him.

“Manu?” Thomas gasped as he opened the box and revealed a simple gold band.

“I have been carrying this stupid ring around with me off and on for 4 years, waiting for the right moment to give it to you. I love you so much. You are my other half, you are the reason I get up in the morning, you are who I want to come home and talk about my day with, even though you were there for most of it, the thought of waking up one morning without you is the worst thing I can imagine. Marry me and promise that I won’t ever have to do that?” I asked, taking his hands in mine.

“Yes,” he responded enthusiastically, leaning in a crushing his lips to mine. Just as suddenly he pulled away, whacking my shoulder.

“Hey, what was that for?” I asked.

“You have been carrying around a ring for 4 years and not proposed yet? What is the matter with you?” he questioned.

“The timing wasn’t right,” I protested.

“That is not the point, all this time I thought I was being silly for wanting to marry you, trying to convince myself that it was better this way and not an option for us, and you were carrying around a ring you didn’t have the courage to give me. We make quite a pair, you and I. You are sure about this?” Thomas asked.

“Absolutely,” I assured him.

“Good,” he replied, leaning in to kiss me again. “We will tell the club tomorrow, and have Fritz arrange a press conference to make the announcements.”

“Why can’t we do that now?” I asked pulling away in confusion.

“Because we are going to be a bit busy for the rest of the night,” Thomas shrugged, pulling me out of my chair.

“Wait, what about dessert?” I asked him.

“Oh, good idea. Grab the ice cream,” he pressed a hard kiss to my mouth, before running out of the room and up the stairs. Shaking my head I ducked into the kitchen quickly, happy that we will always have each other.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So let me know what you think. And let me know if you would like to request a fic.


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